PLUS: COLLEGE SPORTS -- DEPAUL

PLUS: COLLEGE SPORTS -- DEPAUL; No Name Change For Blue Demons

Published: September 30, 1998

After launching a campaign last month to get rid of the school's Blue Demons nickname, DePaul's president has reversed his decision because of an outpouring of support for it.

I asked for input, and it was clear that both current students and alumni of several generations found common ground in the Blue Demons, DePaul's president, the Rev. John P. Minogue, said yesterday in a statement.

Along with religious concerns, Minogue had said he wanted to usher in a new era for the DePaul basketball program by dropping the nickname. Although DePaul historically has been successful in basketball, the team has suffered through losing seasons as of late.

Minogue had suggested using just the Blues as the team's name.

But students and alumni flooded university departments with calls to keep the Demons. The school got its nickname not from devils or demons, but from the prominent D that adorned the sweaters of DePaul athletes at the turn of the century. They soon became known as the D men.

A school color later was chosen by vote of the student body, and the Blue Demons were born.